The secret to Pine State's famous biscuits: shredded butter. Shredding frozen butter for the batter creates a light and flaky texture that can't be missed — especially with fried chicken, bacon and cheese in the middle.

Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy — Pine State Biscuits (Portland, Ore.)

The college buddies who own Pine State Biscuits realized they were on to something great and decided to do their biscuits all different ways. With a slightly spicy gravy on top, the Southern classic is a long way from home.

Tasso — Zydeco's (Mooresville, Ind.)

It's always a Cajun party at this spot — even when it's the middle of an Indiana winter. They're serving up multiple dishes that include a Cajun smoked pork called tasso, marinated and smoked in-house.

Chicken and Dumplings — Dish (Charlotte, NC)

Mac 'n' Cheese—Sweetie Pie's (St. Louis)

Often declared by customers "the best mac and cheese ever," Sweetie Pie's version has a few kinds of cheese, including cheddar and Colby-Jack. Plus, it's topped off with a crispy layer of shredded mild cheddar.

Smothered Pork — Sweetie Pie's (St. Louis)

After almost 40 years singing with acts like Tina Turner, Robbie "Sweetie Pie" Montgomery turned in her microphone to start sharing the food she'd been cooking for years. Her smothered pork is breaded, fried, and then smothered with gravy and onions.

Collard Greens — The Farmer's Shed (Lexington, SC)

Served in a restaurant that used to be a garden center that used to be a farmers market, these collard greens are as authentic as they get. They've got smoked ham hock and are made with greens the owners grow on their own farm.